Tilt action mixing dispenser valve

ABSTRACT

A tilting type dispensing valve comprising a cup-shaped valve housing which is covered by a resilient upper annular dischargevalve seat. A hollow valve stem extends through the valve seat and carries an annular valve shoulder inside the housing. The shoulder is engageable with the seat to close off the discharge. Within the housing there is a supporting boss constituting a second valving means on the valve stem, said boss being located below the valve shoulder and being engageable with a recessed lower annular valve seat in an opposite wall of the valve housing to both normally maintain the valve shoulder and upper seat engaged whereby the upper valve is closed, and to simultaneously close the recessed lower valve seat. The stem can be tilted, however, because the shoulder can compress a localized area of the upper valve seat. This separates another portion of the shoulder from the seat whereby liquid can flow from the housing, out through the hollow valve stem. The tilting of the stem also uncovers the lower valve seat. A container connected to the lower valve seat can empty into the valve housing, as well as a large container enclosing the housing, which discharges into the housing through a hole provided in a wall of the housing. Mixing of the liquids occurs in the valve housing.

United States Patent Steiman 1 July 11, 1972 [54] TILT ACTION MIXINGDISPENSER VALVE [57] ABSTRACT [72] Inv r; Wolf Stei h, Fail-fi ld, Co Atilting type dispensing valive comprisirlilg a cup-shaped valve housingwhich is covere by a res ient upper annular [73] Asslgnee g Corporationof Greenwich discharge-valve seat. A hollow valve stem extends throughthe valve seat and carries an annular valve shoulder inside the [22]Filed: June 9, 1970 housing. The shoulder is engageable with the seat toclose ofi the discharge. Within the housing there is a supporting boss[211 App! 44760 constituting a second valving means on the valve stem,said boss being located below the valve shoulder and being engage- [52]U.S. Cl ..222/l45, 222/402.22 able with a recessed lower annular valveseat in an opposite [51] Int. Cl. ..B05b 7/32 wall of the valve housingto both normally maintain the valve [58] Field 01 Search ..222/402.2l,402.22, 402.]8, shoulder and upper seat engaged whereby the upper valveis 222/145 closed, and to simultaneously close the recessed lower valveseat. The stem can be tilted, however, because the shoulder [56] RetemnmCited can compress a localized area of the upper valve seat; This Tsseparates another portion of the shoulder from the seat UNITED STATESPATE whereby liquid can flow from the housing, out through the 3,525,4568/1970 Prussin et a] "ZZZ/402.18 X hollow valve stem. The tilting of thestem also uncovers the 3,454,198 7/1969 Flynn ..222/402.22 X lower valveseat. A container connected to the lower valve 3,326,416 6/1967 Hayes..222/ 145 X seat can empty into the valve housing, as well as a largecon- 3,482,737 12/1969 Marder et al. T ..222/402.22 X miner enclosingthe housing, which discharges into the hous- Primary Examiner-Robert B.Reeves Assistant Examiner-James M. Slattery Attorney-H. Gibner Lehmanning through a hole provided in a wall of the housing. Mixing of 1 theliquids occurs in the valve housing.

5Clains,9DrawingIfigures l// 1/! I III msmimm 11 m2 3.675.823

1 60 INVENTOR.

i ,WOLF STE/MAN TILT ACTION MIXING DISPENSER VALVE CROSS REFERENCES TORELATED APPLICATIONS Copending US. application of Wolf Steiman, Ser. No.843,906, filed June 30, 1969, now Pat. No. 3,575,323, entitled TiltSlide Action Aerosol Valve," and having the same ownership as thepresent application.

BACKGROUND This invention relates to mixing-type dispensing valves, andmore particularly to tilt valves wherein a hollow valve stem carrying adischarge fitting is tiltably mounted in a valve housing to control thedischarge of multiple pressurized substances from the dispenser.

Heretofore valves of this type employed return springs, or elseespecially arranged spring-charged parts or molded resilient plasticvalve or housing parts to effect the return or closing of the valve whenthe discharge was to be termined. This meant additional components withconsequent increased part and assembly costs, or else more expensivemolds and more complicated plastic shapes which were likely tomalfunction. Prior valves as a consequence could be unreliable, orunnecessarily high in relative cost or both, as well as being subject tocorrosion or contamination and the like.

SUMMARY The above drawbacks and disadvantages of prior tiltingtypemixing valves are obviated by the present invention, one object beingthe provision of an improved tilt-type mixing valve which isself-closing or returning without requiring the use of return coilsprings, or the use of especially arranged resilient plastic parts suchas valve or valve housing members. This is accomplished by the provisionof a simple cup-like housing which is closed or covered by a resilientannular valve seat, and a cooperable shouldered valve stem which isengageable with the valve seat and which also has a slidably engageablevalving projection engageable with an annular apertured valve seat in anopposite wall of the housing, the arrangement being such that the stemcan be tilted due not only to the slide action but also to thecapability of the shoulder to compress a localized area of the seat as aconsequence of the tilting, and the capability of the oppositevalve-seated wall of the housing to flex or fulcrum about a rigidembracing cup which sur rounds the housing. During the tilting anotherpart of the valve shoulder separates from the top seat to permit thedischarge flow, while simultaneously the valving projection of the valvepart separates from the seat of the opposite housing wall to permitinflow into the housing. The resilience of the valve seat and of thebottom housing wall thus provides'for the return movement of the valveafter the tilting force is removed therefrom, making unnecessary theconventional valve return coil spring, or the not-so-conventionalspecial valve and valvehousing configuration heretofore relied on forthis purpose.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in the provision ofan improved tilt-type dual valve as above set forth, wherein thecomponents are particularly few and simple, inexpensive to produce andassemble, and wherein the multiple valve action is especially easy aswell as reliable.

Still other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary axial sectional view of the upper portion of ahand-held dispenser of the pressurized can type with plural containers,having incorporated in it the improved tilt-slide action mixing valve.The valve is shown in its closed condition.

FIG. 2 is a view like that of FIG. I, but inverted and showing the valvetilted and in the process of mixing and discharging liquid substances.

FIG. 3 is an axial sectional view of the valve stem part of the valve.

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4 -4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the valve stem of FIGS. 3

conventional pressurized can 20 provided at its upper end with a metalmounting cup 22, including a raised central inverted cup portion 24adapted to carry the discharge valve assemblage and discharge tube.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a novel andimproved tilt-slide action dual valve assemblage which is mounted in thecup portion 24, said assemblage having an absolute minimum number ofparts of especially simple configuration whereby the component andassembly costs are especially low while at the same time there is had adual-valve action characterized by a desirable ease and reliability ofoperation. The valve construction mounts a resilient molded plasticdischarge tube 26 which may be of a well knovm type including ayieldable circular base or shield 27, said tube being carried by thehollow shank portion 28 of a multiple-valve stem member 30 shortly to bedescribed.

As shown in the figures, the valve construction comprises essentiallytwo simple molded plastic parts, the valve stem part 30 and a valvehousing part 32 together with a resilient, rubber washer-like valve seat34. The valve housing 32 is molded of a suitable plastic substance whichhas appreciable resilience, such as polyethylene of known formulation.The valve stem 30 is molded in one piece, as seen in FIG. 3, being ofrigid plastic substance, being molded of a material known commerciallyas Delrin. I

The housing 32 has a cup-like body portion providing a chamber 36 forreceiving liquid from the container 20 through a wall opening 21, saidbody including a transverse wall 38 which defines one side (the bottom)of the chamber. The valve seat 34, being resilient and constituted ofrubber or rubber-like material, is apertured to receive the hollow shankportion 28 of the valve stem 30. The valve seat 34 constitutes theopposite or upper side of the chamber 36, being clamped against theannular rim portion 40 of the valve housing by the top wall 42 of themounting cup portion 24.

The valve housing 32 has an annular outer ledge or shoulder 44 againstwhich side wall portions of the mounting cup are crimped as indicated at46, thereby to retain the valve housing in its operative position withthe rim portion 40 tightly sealed against the valve seat 34.

The valve stem 30 includes an annular valve shoulder 48 disposed in theliquid receiving chamber 36 of the housing 32, said shoulder beingengageable with the resilient valve seat 34 to close the aperturethereof. The valve stem or part 30 also has a transverse or side passage50 disposed adjacent the valve shoulder 48 and communicating with thehollow or bore 52 of the shank 28 by means of a throttling or meteringaperture 54.

In accordance with the present invention the valve part 30 further has adepending valving abutment portion 56 including a bulbous slide valvingsurface 58 which is engageable with and slidable on a recessed annularvalve seat 59 including a passage 61 in the upper portion of thetransverse wall 38 of the valve housing when the valve part is uprightor is not being tilted. The portion 24 of the mounting cup 22 isapertured to provide appreciable clearance for and to admit the shank 28of the valve part 30. The abutment portion 56, 58 of the valve part 30preferably supports said part in the normally closed position of FIG. 1wherein the valve shoulder 48 is engaged with the valve seat 34, therebypreventing egress of liquid from the chamber 36 through the hollow shank28, and wherein the valving portion 56, 58 closes or stoppers the valveseat 59.

The valve housing 32 has a depending hollow boss 60 depending from thetransverse wall 38, to which there is affixed a collar 62 of a flexibleand collapsible inner container 63 disposed in the outer container asshown.

The offset inlet opening 21 provided in the transverse wall 38 iseccentrically located with respect to the boss 60 and the bore thereofwhereby it is normally out of alignment with the valving abutmentportion 56 of the valve part 30 as seen in FIG. 1. With suchconstruction, pressurized liquid in the container 20 can normally occupythe chamber 36 of the valve housing when the dispenser is inverted asseen in FIG. 2, reaching said chamber through the offset inlet opening21.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the side opening or transverse passage 50of the valve part 30 in accordance with the invention is spaced upward aslight extent from the top or sealing face 66 of the valve shoulder 48,said passage extending completely through the stem and being preferablyof square or rectangular cross-sectional configuration. The passage 50communicates with an annular external groove 68 which is also spacedslightly above the top surface 66 of the valve shoulder 48. Such spacingprovides for a more effective and leakproof closing of the valve. Thethrottling aperture 54 communicates with the transverse passage 50whereby communication is established between the bore 52 of the shankportion 28 of the valve stem and the annular groove 68 thereof.

The bottom 58 of the non-yielding abutment portion 56 of the valve stemin accordance with the invention comprises the second valve of theassemblage and constitutes a slide surface or bulbous terminus which isengageable with the bottom valve seat 59 of the valve housing 32 and caneffectively close off the passage 61 leading from the container 63 whenthe stem 30 is not tilted. The housing wall 38 is resilient and fin'nlyaffixed to the side walls 44 which are backed up by the annular cup wall24 at points closely adjacent the wall 38. Thus the wall 38, in yieldingto force from the valve 58 as the stem 30 tilts, flexes and fulcrumsabout the crimped portions 46 which are non-yielding. This actionreplaces the usual coil spring return of conventional spring-typevalves, and is efiective in enabling tilting of the stem for discharge,and in restoring the stem to the valve-closing position of FIG. 1.

The operation of the improved, simplified tilt-slide action dual valveof the invention may now be readily understood. Considering FIG. 1, theengagement of the abutment valving portion 56 of the valve part 30 withthe resilient wall 38 of the valve housing part 32 tends to maintain thevalve shoulder 48 in engagement with the valve seat 34. Also, thepressure within the container 20 tends to maintain the valve shoulder 48tightly sealingly engaged with the valve seat 34. And the force of thevalving abutment 58 against the valve seat 59 seals off the seat,whereby the liquid in the flexible container 63 (under pressure from thecontents of the container 20) remains isolated from the pressurizedliquid in the container 20. As a consequence, no mixing of the liquidsnor any discharge will normally occur, nor any leakage when the valvepart 30 is in the non-tilted or vertical position of FIG. 1. When it isdesired to mix and discharge the contents of the containers 20 and 63,the valve stem 30 is tilted as by applying finger pressure to thedischarge tube 26 as illustrated in FIG. 2. This will cause the valveshoulder 48 to compress a localized area of the valve seat 34 and flexdownward the housing wall 38 as in FIG. 2, and will cause another partof the valve shoulder to separate from the seat 34 at locations oppositeto the localized indented portion of the seat, as well as effectingseparation of the valve 58 from the seat 59. Communication will thus beestablished between the chamber 36 and the bore 52 of the valve stem, bymeans of the annular groove 68 and transverse passage 50 as well as thethrottling passage 54. Also, flow will occur into the chamber from thecontainer 20 through the inlet 21, and from the container 63 through theinlet 61. A mixing and discharge will occur from the tube 26 asindicated. This discharge will be constituted of liquids which haveentered the chamber 36 via the center passage 61 from the container 63,as well as from the container 20 via the passage 21. During such tiltingof the valve part 30 the abutment valving portion 56, 58 thereof willhave slid along the top of the transverse wall 38 of the valve housing32 and out of the valve seat 59, such sliding movement being facilitatedby the resilience of the wall 38. Upon release of finger pressure, thetendency for the valve seat 34 to resume its normal, non-compressedcondition will restore the valve stem part 30 to the vertical, sealingposition of FIG. 1. By virtue of the provision of the annular groove 68and the spacing of said groove and the passage 50 slightly above the topsurface 66 of the valve shoulder 48 there is insured not only a reliabledischarge regardless of the direction in which the valve stem is tiltedbut also a reliable shut-0E of the flow without leakage when tiltingfinger force is removed from the spray head.

It will now be understood from the foregoing that I have provided anovel and improved tilt and slide action dual valve which is constitutedof the fewest possible components, said components being of simpleconstruction and being readily produced at a low cost. The componentsmay be assembled without difficulty, utilizing automatic feeds and thelike in assembling machines, and no special orientation of the tube 26with respect to the axis of the passage 50 is required during assemblysince the direction of tilt to effect a discharge is not critical. Itwill be especially noted that no valve-retum coil spring is required inorder to restore the valve part 30 to the closed vertical position, norwill the chamber 36 ever be shut off from the interior of the container20 with the valve closed, inasmuch as the inlet passage 21 is offset oreccentrically located. Ribs 39 at the underside of the wall 38 preventthe collar 62 of the container 63 from closing off the inlet 21, whichis thereby in effect recessed in the wall 38.

Variations and modifications are possible without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Iclaim:

l. A springless mixing valve construction for a dispenser of the typehaving two containers for two different liquids respectively, comprisingin combination:

a. a molded plastic cup-shaped valve housing having a chamber forreceiving liquids from several containers,

and having an integral substantially yieldable transverse wall definingthe bottom wall of said chamber, said valve housing having an integralannular side wall firmly and immovably connected to said transversebottom wall, said transverse wall having a recessed annular aperturedvalve seat portion in its top,

b. a resilient, apertured valve seat separate from the valve housing andconstituting the top wall of said chamber,

c. a molded, one-piece valve part having a hollow shank portionextending through the aperture of said resilient valve seat,

d. said valve part having an annular valve shoulder disposed in thechamber of the valve housing and arranged for engagement with theresilient valve seat to close the aperture thereof,

e. said valve part having a side passage disposed adjacent the valveshoulder and communicating with the hollow of the shank portion, saidvalve part further having a solid integral unyielding abutment valvingportion including a bulbous slide surface engageable with and slidableover the annular valve seat portion of the transverse wall of the valvehousing when the valve part is tilted, thereby to either close or opensaid valve seat portion,

f. the tilting of the valve part unseating both the valving abutmentthereof and the shoulder thereof respectively from the recessed valveseat portion and the top valve seat of the housing whereby liquids fromthe chamber can flow into the hollow shank portion through the said sidepassage,

g. the force exerted by the valve seat portion on the shoulder of thevalve part, and by the annular valve seat portion of the transverse wallon the abutment valving portion tending to restore the valve part to itsclosed position upon removal of tilting force therefrom,

h. said valving abutment portion of the valve part supporting the valvepart on the transverse wall of the valve housing with the valve shoulderengaged with said resilient valve seat,

. an unyielding inverted cup containing said resilient valve seat andsaid annular side wall of the valve housing, an annular side wallportion of the inverted cup surrounding and intimately engaging theannular side wall of the valve housing and backing up the same torestrict outward radial movement thereof when the valve is tilted andcauses outward flexing of the bottom wall, and

said annular wall portion of the inverted cup being closely juxtaposedto the transverse wall of the valve housing and constituting fulcrumpoints about which the transverse wall can flex when the centerapertured valve seat portion yields under force exerted by the valvingabutment of the valve part as the latter is tilted,

k. said hollow shank portion being integral with the said valve shoulderand abutment valving portion.

2. A valve construction as in claim 1, wherein:

a. the valve housing has a hollow boss depending from the center of saidtransverse bottom wall, and

b. a container connected to said hollow boss, for supplyingcommunicating with the chamber thereof through said opening.

4. A valve construction as in claim 1, wherein:

a. the opening in the wall of the valve housing is disposed in thebottom wall thereof, adjacent said hollow boss,

b. said bottom wall having a recessed portion surrounding said opening,

c. said first-mentioned container having a collar fitted around thehollow boss and extending closely adjacent said bottom wall but notcovering said opening thereof.

5. A valve construction as in claim 4, wherein:

a. the bottom wall of the valve housing has exterior ribs which adjoinsaid recessed portion and space the collar of the first-mentionedcontainer therefrom.

2. A valve construction as in claim 1, wherein: a. the valve housing hasa hollow boss depending from the center of said transverse bottom wall,and b. a container connected to said hollow boss, for supplying liquidto the chamber of the valve housing.
 3. A valve construction as in claim2, wherein: a. the valve housing has an opening in a wall thereof, andb. a second container surrounding the valve housing and communicatingwith the chamber thereof through said opening.
 4. A valve constructionas in claim 1, wherein: a. the opening in the wall of the valve housingis disposed in the bottom wall thereof, adjacent said hollow boss, b.said bottom wall having a recessed Portion surrounding said opening, c.said first-mentioned container having a collar fitted around the hollowboss and extending closely adjacent said bottom wall but not coveringsaid opening thereof.
 5. A valve construction as in claim 4, wherein: a.the bottom wall of the valve housing has exterior ribs which adjoin saidrecessed portion and space the collar of the first-mentioned containertherefrom.